高倉健對文化交流有貢献,中国外交部哀悼

Last month the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

健さん、文化交流に貢献…中国外務省が哀悼の意

2014年11月20日 07時22分

　外国映画でも活躍した俳優高倉健さんの訃報は、世界各国でも大きく伝えられた。

　「中国における『男優』のスタイルを定義づけた」――。中国メディアは１９日、中国で最も知名度の高い日本人俳優の一人だった高倉さんの死去を大々的に報じた。

　高倉さんは１９７６年の出演作「君よ憤怒(ふんど)の河を渉(わた)れ」（中国作品名「追捕」）が、中国で文化大革命後に初めて公開された外国映画として爆発的にヒット。高倉さんの死を１面で報じた中国紙・北京青年報は、当時の中国人女性の間では、求める男性像について、「高倉健を探せ」との国民的議論が起きたと紹介。庶民に人気の高い中国紙・新京報も、１０ページの特集を組んで高倉さんの経歴や中国との関わりなどを詳しく報じた。

　中国外務省報道官は１８日の定例記者会見で、「中日両国の文化交流促進に重要かつ積極的な貢献を果たした」と述べ、哀悼の意を表した。中国中央テレビは同日午前、高倉さんの死去を速報したほか、夜には約３０分の特別番組を組んだ。

(試譯文)

Many countries extensively reported the death of actor Mr. Ken Takakura who also had played an active role in foreign films.

   "He had defined the style of an "actor" in China": on the 19^th (November) Chinese media extensively reported the death of Mr. Takakura who was one of the most known Japanese actors in China.

    Mr. Takakura made an appearance in 1976 in a foreign film the "Kimi yo Fundo no Kawa o Watare " (film name in Chinese "Zhuibu") which was screened for the first time in China after the Cultural Revolution and made a shocking hit. The Beijing Youth, a Chinese paper which reported Mr. Takakura's death at the front page, when introduced him said that in those days when the female were asked about finding the image of a male, all would answered "look for Ken Takakura", causing national discussions. Also the New Capital Newspaper, a Chinese paper which was very popular among the ordinary people, compiled a 10-page special report to introduce in detail Mr. Takakura's background and his relation with China.

   In a regular press conference on the 18th (November) a Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs press attaché stated that "he was important in promoting cultural exchange of the two countries of China and Japan, and had achieved positive contribution" and expressed his condolences. The Chinese Central Television promptly reported in the morning on the same day about Mr. Takakura's death, and made a special program of about 30 minutes at night.

For Mr. Takakura, 1976 in China was a good timing in making his film popular. It was immediately after the Cultural Revolution when the Chinese people had been separated from the outside world for a decade. In those days Chinese people could only enjoy revolutionary films and songs for entertainment.